“You will not have to fight this battle.
Take up your positions;
stand firm
and see the deliverance the Lord will give you,
O Judah and Jerusalem.
Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged.
Go out to face them tomorrow,
and the Lord will be with you.”
2Chronicles20:17
“…blessed are those have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29b
God does not need me. I like to think I am irreplaceable, but God isn’t crippled without my help. Although I am valuable beyond measure as His child, my service is not necessary to the completion of His plan.
God wants to include me in His plan, but in order for this to happen, I must understand that it is Him who does the work through me. My only job is to step forward in an act of faith, showing my willingness to be sent forth. He does the rest.
So what am I waiting for? Why do I not heed His call, instead focusing on my plan for my life, fulfilling service I am doing for His Kingdom, keeping busy working for Him? Does any of that really matter in the eternal scheme of things? Does it make an impact when I am doing it instead of God doing it through me? When will I step forward as a show of confidence in my God so I can experience His power flowing through me, delivering me from whatever bondage restrains me? Or when will I say, “Yes” to Him and “No” to my fears? I hear His call, but I don’t think I’m the appropriate one for the job. What is holding me back?
Fear
I, like most people, have a healthy fear of heights. I didn’t want this to hold me back, though, so a few years ago I attempted climbing a 20-foot cargo net wall. I made it to the top and froze with fear as I tried to swing my leg over the top beam. There was nothing to hold on to and the netting was shifting beneath my feet. I nearly panicked as I felt the vulnerability of my position.
Fear can immobilize me, stopping my forward motion and creating an attitude of worry and helplessness. God reminds me many times in scripture to not fear because it sends me into a state of panic that is counteractive to faith. Not only is it hard to move when I am terrified, but it is also hard to think about anything else besides that of which I fear!
Instead of focusing on what it is that alarms me, it is helpful to keep my eyes on the One who will deliver me and Who will supply all I need to answer His call.
Discouragement
It is frightening how easily I can become discouraged. A few difficulties take place and I am ready to throw in the towel. God does not want me to give up hope, courage or confidence because with Him, all things are possible!
The key is to let God have His way with my life. I only get discouraged when I think I’m in control . Then, when things go a different way than I expected, my limited resources are spent and my vision is clouded. I think all hope is lost and I must turn around and go a different way.
But if I let God lead, I become a follower of a mighty warrior who has complete, sovereign power. He will not lose, so as His child, I will not suffer defeat. His plan will always go forth. If I want to be on the winning team, I must step onto His side and stop trying to serve God and live life my way. Apart from Him, I can do nothing that matters in His Kingdom.
Tomorrow
The unknown looms in my future. I can plan, thinking of every possible scenario and strategy, but only God knows what is yet to come. Trusting Him means letting Him choose the who, what, when and where. It’s kind of like following behind someone who has blazed a trail in the snow, all I need do is walk forward on the path He has cleared.
God has promised that if I will only step forward into the great unknown, He will be there. Moses knew how vital God’s presence was for his success. He did not even want to go toward the Promised Land if it meant God would not go with them. Moses knew that the power of God is what set the Israelites apart from every other nation. He was their defining feature.
My attitude should be similar as I step into the unfamiliar and indefinite territory of tomorrow. Even though I have no idea what will happen, God knows and He has promised to be with me.
Knowing God is with me can give me the strength to face anything and everything as I follow behind Him.
Fear can keep me from answering God’s call and discouragement is common when I try to do things my way. Likewise, tomorrow can be a scary place, but God has promised to meet me on the battlefield, if only I will take a step of faith, setting aside fear and discouragement and instead trusting Him to fight the battle for me.
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will choose to trust God despite my inability to see Him standing before me.
Where is fear crippling me from taking a step of faith?
How am I showing my mistrust in God’s ability to triumph in the strongholds of my life?
